Telegraph keyboard apparatus



R. 'G. GRIFFITH TELEGRAPH KEYBOARD APPARATUS March 30, 1937.

Filed July 25, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 .ATTOF/VEKi R. G. GRIFFITH TELEGRAPH KEYBOARD APPARATUS March 30, 1937.

Filed July 25, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 AW 5251 HAQQQ 47739046748 March 30, 1937. v R. G. GRIFFITH V 5,

' TELEGRAPH KEYBOARD APPARATUS Filed July 25, 1935 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 V W Q Q. 1

In entor Rom/v0 6 /eiffzm womani- Patented Mar. 30, 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,075,713 TELEGRAPH KEYBOARD APPARATUS Ronald George Griffith, Upper Warlingham, England Application July 25, 1935, Serial No. 33,144

in Great Britain November 26, 1934 7 14 Claims.

This invention relates to keyboard controlled telegraph apparatus in which a number of keybars are arranged so that by their movements they efiect telegraphic transmission or perforation of code permutations or both.

Owing to the growing demand that the operation of telegraph keyboard apparatus shall not require any special skill, beyond that expected of a typist, the present trend in design of such apparatus is to produce telegraph keyboard instruments which are similar in operation as far as is possibleto that of a standard typewriter. In the standard typewriter mechanism, certain numerals or other symbols are carried on the same type levers as letter characters so as to be operated under theco-ntrol of a single key, the particular character which is printed being selected by the shift mechanism of the typewriter. In order to establish a similar operating condition for a telegraph keyboard when using a telegraph signalling code in which different code permutations are allotted to letter characters and numerals or other symbols, which in the case of a typewriter are carried on the same type lever, it is necessary to provide mechanism so that the depression of a single key-bar may produce different code permutation settings as selected by the shift mechanism similar in operation to that of a-standard typewriter. Furthermore, at certain speeds, on depression of the key-bars of a typewriter it only requires partial depression in order to print satisfactorily and the kinetic energy of the type lever produces a certain reaction. These features produce a reaction in the operation of the typewriter generally called the touch and it is very desirable that the touch of a telegraph keyboard apparatus should be similar to that of a typewriter.

Thus, the present invention aims at providing a keyboard controlled mechanism for setting up code permutations and, in fact, a mechanism, the touch of which can, if desired, be made similar to that of a typewriter. The object of the invention is further to enable certain of the individual keybars of a keyboard selectively to set up one of two different code permutations on one andthe same set of permutation members. Further, the invention has the purpose of enabling the permittation settings to be established by power-driven mechanism operating selectively under the control of the keybars.

Thus, according to the present invention, the permutation members of the mechanism for setting up the code permutations are pivoted members such as vanes and are arranged to be-positively and selectively set in position by any or all of a number of permutation setting members by direct action of the latter on the permutation members on either side of their pivots. Thus, the permutation setting members may be slidably mounted frames which engage with the pivoted vanes by means of internal notches or projections on thefrarnes. Furthermore, a number of keybarsmay be mounted and arranged so that when depressed each sets up a permutation setting used for telegraphic transmission or perforation or both, and each of the keybars also acts upon one of a number of permutation selecting members which can be set selectively in one of two positions through theagency of the shift mechanism. Whenthe common pivot of the selector members is in ,one of its two positions, each selector member is mechanically coupled to one of the permutation setting frames, but when the common pivot is moved by the shiftkey into its other position, some of the selector members are mechanically coupled to different permutation setting frames, being disengaged from those frames with which they were previously coupled whenthe common pivot was in the first or normal position. The depression of any .keyebar of the number re- ,ferred to, effects the permutationsetting of the permutation setting member to which the selector memberallocated to that key is at that time coupled.

In otherwords, the depression of each character keycauses theslidingmovement of oneor the other of two permutation frames depending upon the position of the shift mechanism at that time. Each of these frames, forming the permutation setting members, whenmoved sets the code permutation peculiar to the character of the keybar depressed. Conveniently projections on the sliding frames may turn vanes on spindles which extend so far as to carry further vanes engaging projections on further permutation frames, of which there are five, when working on the five-element code, the result being that these five last-mentioned frames take up positions corresponding to the permutation to be set.

Insteadof thekeybars acting with a direct mechanical connection-tothe permutation setting frames, it may be arrangedthat each keybar when depressedmoves an interposed member which is then clutched to acontinuously .power driven member which through the interposed member effects thesetting of the permutation setting frame.

'While the invention has been referred to as '-applicable to-teleg-raphtransmitting and-perforating apparatus, it is equally suitable for use in code translating telegraph keyboard apparatus.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, some forms of construction in accordance therewith will now be more fully described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a partial side elevation of a keyboard transmitter for a start-stop telegraph apparatus;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a part of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 making clear the action of the selector members;

Figure 3 is a perspective View showing the main parts of the transmitter; and

Figure a is a perspective view illustrating the application of a power actuated mechanism for the permutation setting frames.

In Figures 1 and 2, the permutation setting frames I are normally drawn upwards into the position shown, by tension springs 2, but when the frames l are operated they are pressed down and then slide on a pair of pins 3. Each of the frames I is extended at the foot and formed with a notch 4, but the notches of alternate frames face backward and forward as most clearly seen in Figure 2. These notches 4 are engaged by projections 5 and 5 projecting on opposite sides from a horizontal lever B which, in fact, constitutes one of the set of selecting members. The levers 6 are pivoted on a common pivot I to a lever 8 mounted on a fixed pivot 9. It will be noticed that the projection 5 on each selector lever 5 is further from the pivot I than the projection 5. The action of the shift key is to depress a pin II and swing a bell crank lever I2 downwards and backwards about its pivot 3. The

bell crank i2 is pivoted at I3 to a connecting rod I5 which is also connected to the pivot I so that when the bell-crank I2 swings backwards, the common pivot l is also moved backwards and the spring I9 extended. During this action, the projection 5 is removed from the slot 4 at the lower end of one of the frames I, while the projection 5* moves into the slot or notch 4 of the frame I immediately to the front of that lastmentioned. Thus, the depression of the shift key moves all the selecting levers 6 into their rear positions. If now another character key I5 is depressed, its rear end it acts directly on the corresponding selecting lever B and the projection 5 forces down the particular frame I with which it is engaging or if the shift key has not been depressed, the projection 5 presses down the adjacent frame I. Thus, any character key I5, when depressed, may push down one or other of two permutation setting frames I depending upon whether the shift key has been depressed and has pushed back the selecting levers 6 or not.

When a frame I is thus drawn down, the notches or projections I'I thrust down certain of the five selecting vanes I8 which, in effect, constitute permutation members. The result is that certain of the five lower spindles I9 are rotated according to the particular character to be transmitted. The sixth vane I8 controls the sending of the shift impulse and may be considered as a sixth selecting vane as it has an exactly similar effect to any one of the selecting vanes I8. The seventh or uppermost vane I8 serves as a trip vane; it is actuated when any key is depressed to cause an additional frame 99 to be pushed down to trip the mechanism. The vane I8 and additional frame correspond to and serve the same purposes as the vane I99 and frame 99 referred to in the specification of my patent application Serial No. 24,153 filed May 29, 1935 and shownin Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying that specification except that the trip vane I inthe prior application is placed below the five selecting vanes instead of above them. In the present case, upon the depression of any key, the vane I8 is rocked by the actuation of the ap-- propriate frame-I and as in the prior application. this results in pushing down the additional trip frame 99 against the tension of the spring I02 so that through the arm I03 a detent I94 is depressed, releasing the stop surface I and tripping the cam shaft 2| which will be referred to below.

The five vanes 58 on the spindles I9 extend through the frames I and into five additional frames 26 also capable of sliding up and down. Thus, when any vane 58 is rotated it pushes down the corresponding frame 29 and the code permutation corresponding to the character to be sent is thus set on the five frames owing to the fact that some of these five frames will normally be in the upper position and some in the lower position.

A cam shaft 2I is rotated once for each character transmitted and it rocks first of all the lever 22 pivoted at 23 in a clockwise direction. The lever 22 carries at its upper end loose on a spindle 23 a series of five arms 28, each provided with a forwardly extending tooth 24 and upper and lower projections 26 and 21. Thus, when the lever 22 is rocked, each tooth 2d first comes forward and passes above or below a central projection 25 on the respective permutation frame 20, U

thereby ensuringthat each of those frames is moved fully upwards or downwards depending upon the code setting. As the lever 22 continues to move, the upper arm 26 or the lower arm 21 comes into contact either with the upper projection 20 or the lower projection 20 of the respective frame 29. In the former event, the particular lever 28 is rocked down into the position shown against the lower stop 23*, but if the particular frame 29 is in the upper position, then the lower projection 29 acting on the projection 21 turns the arm 28 against the upper stop 28*.

As a result, each of the arms 28 has its tail end rocked up or down in accordance with the code permutation set and then acts through a rocking member 29 to move the corresponding selector bar 30 to the right as shown or to the left if the arm 28 is moved upwards.

Thus, by the mere depression of a key I5 and the shift key if necessary, a combination is set by the positions of the five selector bars 30 which corresponds to one or other of the characters which the particular key I5 represents.

In Figure 4, a power mechanism is shown for setting the permutation setting frames I. These frames with their projections i7 and the vanes I8 on the spindles I9 are as shown in Figure 1 and furthermore, the selecting levers 6 have projections 5 and 5 extending in opposite directions, the shift key mechanism for swinging the arm 8 and the common pivot I being omitted in Figure 3.

The power mechanism consists of a continuously driven ratchet 3| and a pawl 32 pivoted at 33 so that it can be rocked when a key lever I5 is depressed owing to the projection 34 engaging the tail of the pawl 32. In this way, the point of the pawl 32 is brought into engagement with the teeth of the ratchet 3| so that thelatter carries round to some extent the pawl 32 and the pivoted member 35, the latter turning clockwise about its pivot 36, and, through the connecting link 31*, drawing down the corresponding selector lever ii which acts in a .way

similar to that shown in Figure 1. This goes on until the tail 31 of the pawl 32 comes into contact with the common throw-off bar 38. By this means the point of the pawl 32 is drawn out of engagement from the teeth of the ratchet 3| by the spring 39; then the member 35 is also swung back about its pivot 36 by its spring 40. Here again the projection 5 or the projection 5 draws down the corresponding frame I depending upon the operation of the shift key.

It may be desired to provide mechanical reaction against the depression of a key, in which case, suitable cam and lever mechanism lilii, I01 shown in Fig. 3, is conveniently provided and arranged in such a way that at a definite time period following the release of the cam shaft 2| (Figures 1 and 3), it actuates through the lever mechanism the universal trip frame QS-and vane l8 positively, thus returning them to their normal or initial position. This may be achieved in a simple manner by arranging the lever I01 actuated by a suitable cam I06 on the shaft 2| to act upon the trip frame 99 so that after the shaft 2| has turned through a predetermined angle from the position shown in Fig. 3, the lastmentioned cam I06 comes into operation and rocks the said lever lfi-I which lifts the said trip frame 99 corresponding to the trip frame 99 shown in Figure 2 of the drawings accompanying the specification of my prior application.

Thus that trip frame 99 is moved upwardly back into its normal position, since in the example illustrated the trip frame is moved downwards when actuated by the universal trip vane I8 With the above arrangement, it may be further arranged for the cam shaft 2| to be arrested for any convenient period at that angular position in its movement when it has returned the trip vane l8 back into its normal position. For this purpose, as shown in Figure 3, a stop surface I08 is secured on the shaft 2| and is arranged to be engaged by a lever Hi9. The latter is held up to engage surface Hit by a spring H6 until released at the desired instant by a cam fixed to the selecting cam shaft H2 corresponding to the shaft shown in Figures 1, 2 and 2a. of the drawings of my said application Serial No. 24,153. The arrangement is such that until the cam shaft 2| is released to move away from the angular position in which it is arrested by the engagement of the stop surface I08 by the lever I09, the universal trip vane l8 is positively locked by the cam I06, so that it cannot befurther operated by depressing one of the keys.

I claim:-

1. A permutation-setting mechanism for telegraph keyboard apparatus, comprising in combination, a plurality of pivoted single permutation members, a plurality of permutation-setting members each disposed and shaped respectively to engage directly a plurality of said permutation members on one or the other side of the pivots thereof to set same positively and selectively and a keyboard mechanism adapted to be mechanically coupled to said permutation-setting members.

2. A permutation-setting mechanism for telegraph keyboard apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of vanes mounted to turn 7 about their pivots, a plurality of permutationsetting" members each disposed and shaped respectively to co-act directly with a plurality of said vanes on one or the other .side of the pivots thereof to turn same positively and selectively to establish the permutation settings and a keyboard mechanism adapted to be mechanically coupled to said permutation-setting members.

3. A permutation-setting mechanism for telegraph keyboard apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of vanes mounted to turn about their pivots, a plurality of slidably mounted open frames embracing said vanes and each internally shaped to engage a plurality of said vanes directly on one or the other side of the pivots thereof to set same positively and selectively and a keyboard mechanism adapted to be mechanically coupled to said frames.

4. A permutation-setting mechanism for telegraph keyboard apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of pivoted single permutation members, a plurality of permutation-setting members disposed respectively to engage directly said permutation members on either side of the pivots thereof to set same positively and selectively, a power-driven element, a plurality of actuating members each in operative relationship with one of said permutation-setting members, a keyboard mechanism includinga plurality of pivoted keybars and means for selectively coupling-said actuating members to said power-driven element under the control of said keybars.

5. A permutation-setting mechanism for telegraph keyboard apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of vanes mounted to turn abouttheir pivots, a plurality of slidably-mounted open frames embracing said vanes and internally shaped to engage certain of said vanes directly on either side of the pivots thereof to set same positively and selectively, a power-driven rotary element, a plurality of pivotally-mounted actuating members each linked to one of said frames, a keyboard mechanism including a plurality of pivoted keybars and a plurality of pawls each in operative relationship with one of said keybars and each adapted to couple one of said actuating members to said power-driven element. I

6. A keyboard-controlled telegraphic apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of permutation-setting members, a shift key, a plurality of selector members each mounted to move selectively into one of two positions under the control of said shift key and shaped to co-act with one of said permutation-setting members when in one of its positions and to co-act with another of said permutation setting members when in the other of its positions and a plurality of character keys each in operative relationship with one of said selector members to establish, through said selector member, the setting of one or other of a pair of said permutation-setting members.

7 A keyboard-controlled telegraphic apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of permutation-setting members, a shift key, a pivoted lever located to be rocked from one position to another upon the actuation of said shift key, a spring-returned pivoted lever positively linked to said first-named pivoted lever, a common movable pivot pin carried by said second-named pivoted lever, a plurality of selector levers carried on said movable pivot pin and each shaped to engage one of said permutation-setting members when in one of its two. positions and to engage another of said permutation-setting members when in the other of its two positions and a plurality of character keys, each in operative relationship with one of said selector levers to actuate the latter and thus to establish the setting of one or other of a pair of said permutation-setting members.

8. A keyboard-controlled telegraphic apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of slidably-mounted permutation-setting frames arranged in pairs, the two frames of each pair being formed with oppositely directed notches, a shift key, a plurality of selector members each mounted to move selectively into one of two positions under the control of said shift key and each associated with a pair of said frames and shaped to engage the notches of said pair of frames when located in its two positions respectively, and a plurality of character keys each in operative relationship with one of said selector members to establish by the actuation of said selector memher, the setting of one or other of said associated pair of frames.

9. A keyboard-controlled telegraphic apparatus comprising in combination, a plurality of permutation members formed as vanes mounted to turn about their pivots, a plurality of slidablymounted open permutation-setting frames embracing said vanes and internally shaped to engage certain of said vanes directly on either side of the pivots thereof to set same positively and selectively, said frames also being arranged in pairs, the two frames of each pair being formed with oppositely directed notches, a shift key, a plurality of selector members each mounted to move selectively into one of two positions under the control of said shift key and each associated with a pair of said frames and each shaped to engage the notches of said pair of frames when located in its two positions respectively, and a plurality of character keys each in operative relationship with one of the selector members to establish by the actuation of said selector member, the setting of one or other of said associated pair of frames.

10. A permutation setting mechanism for an equal length code keyboard telegraph transmitter, comprising in combination, a .plurality of code impulse vanes mounted to turn about their pivots and equal in number to the elements in -a permutation to be set, a plurality of permutation setting members each disposed and shaped respectively to act on all of said code impulse vanes on one or other side of the pivots thereof, to turn same positively and selectively to establish the permutation settings, and a keyboard mechanism mechanically coupled to said permutation setting members.

11. A permutation setting mechanism for telegraph keyboard apparatus, comprising in combination, a plurality of vanes mounted to turn about their pivots, a plurality of slidably-mounted open frames embracing said vanes and each internally shaped to engage a plurality of said vanes directly on one or other side of the pivots thereof to set same positively and selectively,

and a keyboard mechanism comprising a plurality of key levers directly mechanically connected to said frames.

12. A permutation setting mechanism for an equal length telegraph keyboard transmitter, comprising in combination, a plurality of permutation vanes mounted to turn about their pivots and equal in number to the elements in a permutation to be set, a plurality of movable permutation setting members each formed With a plurality of code projections, each located to coact positively with one of said permutation vanes on one or other side of the pivots thereof to determine the angular setting thereof, and a keyboard mechanism mechanically coupled with said permutation setting members.

13. A permutation setting mechanism for equal length code telegraph keyboard apparatus, comprising in combination, a plurality of vanes mounted to turn about their pivots and equal in number to the elements in a permutation to be set, a plurality of slidably mounted open frames each. formed With a plurality of projecting snugs, each located to coact with one of said vanes on one or other side of the pivots thereof to determine the angul-ar setting thereof, and a keyboard mechanism mechanically coupled to said slidably mounted frames.

14. Permutation setting mechanism for an equal length code telegraph keyboard transmitter, comprising in combination, a plurality of vanes mounted to turn about their pivots and equal in number to the elements of the code, a plurality of slidably mounted frames embracing said vanes, each character to be transmitted being allocated to one of said frames, and a keyboard mechanism mechanically coupled to said frames, each of said frames being formed with a plurality of snugs located to act on said vanes, some to turn the respective vanes clockwise and the others to return the remaining vanes counter-clockwise.

RONALD GEORGE GRIFFITH. 

